Comments by Szymanowski

101. To beat extremism we must dissolve religious groups

Comment #222244 by Szymanowski on July 31, 2008 at 3:20 am

So-called religious community leaders, or umbrella groups of religious bodies, must of course be free to associate as they like in private, in a free country, but publicly they must be ignored.

Hear, hear... but then, the word 'dissolve' in the headline is more than a little bit misleading.

102. Obama Should Re-Think His Faith-Based Agenda

Comment #220426 by Szymanowski on July 28, 2008 at 12:22 pm

Well, he did refer to the Berlin wall explicitly.

People of the world - look at Berlin, where a wall came down, a continent came together, and history proved that there is no challenge too great for a world that stands as one.

103. Write to UCF

Comment #219250 by Szymanowski on July 26, 2008 at 2:18 pm

Steve Zara, "thought police" (!) aren't the same as people like RD, who merely want to insult stupidity, not prohibit it.

104. Historian predicts the end of 'science superpowers'

Comment #217686 by Szymanowski on July 24, 2008 at 2:30 pm

At least this kind of article should make science - not reality-denial - a more central part of the 'patriotic' American agenda :)

105. Cardinal accuses Anglican Communion of 'spiritual Alzheimer's'

Comment #217172 by Szymanowski on July 24, 2008 at 2:27 am

Several others have also seized upon the 'spiritual warfare' madness. I must admit that this was what struck me as the most barkingly crazy part of this bullshit. But a thought occurs. If this war with the devil began with the talking snake incident, how does the church square this with its acceptance of evolution and the re-casting of the snake as a metaphor? It's not at all clear from this article that the cardinal is using an extended metaphor (if that's what he's doing). Leaving aside the oxymoronic reference to "well-known secret" sects (I wonder if he means 'Spectre' from the James Bond movies; surely he doesn't have Opus Dei in mind. What is it with Catholics and conspiracy theories? If it's not the Jews it's the Secularists!), I would add that it's not just the obviously delusional and irrational who argue along these lines. Alister McGrath likes to imagine himself to be a soldier in the armies of God, battling Satan's great persuaders (Dawkins et al). There's a footnote to this effect in his (awful) flea book. When they're resorting to this sort of deluded hyperbole and bullshit I like to think it's because they're getting desperate...

It's not hyperbole to them - they genuinely believe that the purported immortal, all-powerful Creator cares about each of them, and watches over them, etc. They are supposedly important beings at the centre of the universe. It's a powerful delusion which causes subjects to plug their ears with their fingers while shouting, 'LALALALALALA', a symptom you can clearly see in the Cardinal's behaviour.

106. Richard Dawkins on Al Jazeera English

Comment #216369 by Szymanowski on July 23, 2008 at 4:02 am

I was interested that the caller said "I am a Muslim so I believe in Adam, peace be upon him", etc.

When your identity defines which parts of reality you accept and which you deny, you're probably a lost cause...

107. Surgeon General Nominee Dismisses Homosexuality Paper

Comment #216352 by Szymanowski on July 23, 2008 at 2:25 am

Of course this is the same Aitken who found Jesus in prison

What was Jesus doing in prison?

108. Losing Sight of Progress

Comment #215482 by Szymanowski on July 22, 2008 at 2:09 am

This isn't macroevolution, it's adaptation

:D

The salamanders haven't given birth to eagles, they're still salamanders!!!!1111one!

109. Surgeon General Nominee Dismisses Homosexuality Paper

Comment #215200 by Szymanowski on July 21, 2008 at 1:26 pm

told him to mention the ~~president's~~ Dear Leader's name at least three times on every page of his public remarks

Fixed

Holsinger said yesterday that his views had evolved and that the issues he raised in the paper would not be relevant in public health discussions today.

Better than nothing, but shouldn't he admit that he had lied?

110. Richard Dawkins slaps creationists into the primordial soup

Comment #213875 by Szymanowski on July 19, 2008 at 6:43 am

The Dawkins on Darwin programme - note who gets the first namecheck

Note who doesn't, now that the title has been changed at RD's request (before this article was printed, actually).

oops, I've been pre-empted in comment #213851

111. Calling World Conference on Dialogue a Symbol of Unity Among Different Traditions

Comment #213640 by Szymanowski on July 18, 2008 at 5:44 pm

The UN is a joke. See human rights enforcement [or lack thereof] in member states...

112. Ten Commandments' of race and genetics issued

Comment #213610 by Szymanowski on July 18, 2008 at 4:41 pm

1. All races are created equal

I guess this means that all races should be entitled to equal rights and treatment in society and law... otherwise, the words 'created' and 'equal' are just, well, nonsensical.

113. PLEASE WRITE IN SUPPORT OF PZ MYERS

Comment #210175 by Szymanowski on July 14, 2008 at 3:51 am

Oh, this is hilarious (the cracker thing).

It is hard to think of anything more vile than to intentionally desecrate the Body of Christ.

I can think of many more vile acts than 'desecrating' a cracker; splitting an unnecessary infinitive, for example.

114. IT'S A GODDAMNED CRACKER!

Comment #206964 by Szymanowski on July 9, 2008 at 3:07 am

Well, I think even in person the insults would be hard to avoid in this particular case! And those who have made death threats absolutely deserve those insults.

115. IT'S A GODDAMNED CRACKER!

Comment #206952 by Szymanowski on July 9, 2008 at 2:48 am

Hang on...

EVERYONE who takes Eucharist walks out with a cracker. What difference does it make if it hasn't been swallowed?

Mmmm. Can I bat for the opposition for a minute?

You are an anthropologist studying a native tribe[...]

My postcolonialist PC-sensors are on red alert... don't you think it's a little condescending to "study" a "native" tribe, from a safe distance?! (we Brits did all that in the 1950s anyway)

116. Sir John M. Templeton, Philanthropist, Dies at 95

Comment #206648 by Szymanowski on July 8, 2008 at 3:49 pm

He sounds like a nice guy.

117. Landlords protest after pub swearing ban gets them sacked

Comment #206638 by Szymanowski on July 8, 2008 at 3:38 pm

'Landlord' in this context means 'pub manager'. Pubs are often owned by breweries, which have control of which beers are sold. Brewery-independent pubs are called "free houses".

In other contexts in the UK 'landlord' has the normal definition of a property owner who leases property.

118. Atheism on the buses

Comment #206628 by Szymanowski on July 8, 2008 at 3:18 pm

Just a word of explanation... All of this started out as a rather far-fetched but sweet idea in a column on The Guardian's website by Ariane Sherine. There was no strategy, no campaign.

I liked the idea, made the pledge on PledgeBank, and made the bus mockup image. Since then things have, well, spread rather widely.

Good for you.

~~What happens to the money if this project falls through?~~

EDIT: I thought it was a donations site, but it's merely a 'pledge' site. A better question would be: how do you gather the money when all pledges are made?!

119. The Boundaries of Belief

Comment #205123 by Szymanowski on July 6, 2008 at 4:03 pm

It may well be that some atheists, lacking the requisite fear of hell, find it amusing to maliciously waste a pollster's time

*whistles casually*

120. Why I Won't Debate Creationists

Comment #204763 by Szymanowski on July 5, 2008 at 5:52 pm

Yep, that's a great article, and the first comment is suitably amusing!

121. New Zealand man sells his soul to 'Hell'

Comment #203783 by Szymanowski on July 3, 2008 at 2:58 pm

That's pretty cheap marketing. A good ruse by both buyer and seller.

122. New British Petition: Stop the Nightmares

Comment #191990 by Szymanowski on June 12, 2008 at 9:07 am

Even if it IS causing negative long-term effects on the mental health of all the exposed children (and it clearly isn't), this sort of thing is NOT the business of government or law.

But some will only understand the importance of free speech when it's gone.

123. New British Petition: Stop the Nightmares

Comment #191773 by Szymanowski on June 11, 2008 at 4:38 pm

Ergh, that's a horrible petition. "Harassment"?! Only if people are not free to walk away.

He who would trade liberty, etc.

124. Opponents of Evolution Adopting a New Strategy

Comment #188992 by Szymanowski on June 5, 2008 at 6:49 am

Doh - thanks notsobad, that's more likely to be what they mean by "chemical evolution" isn't it!

125. Opponents of Evolution Adopting a New Strategy

Comment #188893 by Szymanowski on June 4, 2008 at 11:53 pm

Re. #188836 by rod_the_farmer...

Whilst all "evolution" could be broadly defined as being within "biology", natural selection purely of molecular replicators (polynucleotides which themselves aren't "alive" or even part of "live" organisms), which could be discussed relating to the origins of life, might just be worthy of the "chemistry" designation, no?

... but perhaps I give the fundies too much credit. Hilarious that they claim the bill is about 'critical thinking skills' when it's actually about utterly uncritical faith skills.

126. Character Attacks: How to Properly Apply the Ad Hominem

Comment #188780 by Szymanowski on June 4, 2008 at 2:17 pm

Character Attacks: How to Properly Apply the Ad Hominem

This article must be rubbish, because the author improperly splits infinitives.

127. Opponents of Evolution Adopting a New Strategy

Comment #188778 by Szymanowski on June 4, 2008 at 2:13 pm

DALLAS �" Opponents of teaching evolution, in a natural selection of sorts, have gradually shed those strategies that have not survived the courts. Over the last decade, creationism has given rise to "creation science," which became "intelligent design,"...

The article neglects to mention cdesign proponentsists :)

128. Ben Stein 1, Yoko Ono 0 in 'Expelled' copyright spat

Comment #188775 by Szymanowski on June 4, 2008 at 2:10 pm

This is not fair use, whatever the Judge says. The sentiments expressed in the song (i.e. those which were criticized) are by no means unique to it. The poetic scheme and its setting in music is what makes the song the song, yet that wasn't "critiqued" in the film at all.

129. Random Acts of Evolution

Comment #187165 by Szymanowski on June 1, 2008 at 11:50 am

Heehee, was that deliberate? The article is totally messed up; some of it has replicated, à la junk DNA.

Otherwise, that was a very interesting read :)

130. Storm erupts over 'virginity' divorce

Comment #186693 by Szymanowski on May 31, 2008 at 5:20 am

This whole "contract" thing is why I'm averse to "marriage" per se. Why would two loving partners want to be contractually obliged to remain together? Surely a contract would cheapen the relationship?

131. 'Uncontacted tribe' sighted in Amazon

Comment #186692 by Szymanowski on May 31, 2008 at 5:10 am

No doubt there are missionaries champing at the bit at the chance to convert fresh prey.

132. Car dealership advert tells atheists to 'shut up'

Comment #185647 by Szymanowski on May 28, 2008 at 9:01 am

I BELIEVE IN GOD

Now, buy my cars.

133. 'Reverse Evolution' Discovered in Seattle Fish

Comment #183647 by Szymanowski on May 22, 2008 at 12:14 pm

I agree the terminology was dodgy, but surely no-one's stupid enough to interpret "returning to an older model made good sense" as meaning that the fish made a committee decision to "reverse" their evolution?

... oh, right, yes, 'scuse me... people are stupid enough to believe in talking snakes too.

134. 'Reverse Evolution' Discovered in Seattle Fish

Comment #183561 by Szymanowski on May 22, 2008 at 9:15 am

Well, the article said that before the clean-up, 6% had the armor plating, now 49% . I wouldn't call that reverse evolution even if I liked the term. If 0% had armor plating previously, then that would be something. In this case, natural selection is just allowing those with armor to thrive more, reverse evolution? I think not.

"Natural selection is allowing X to thrive more" - that is evolution. A change in allele frequencies over time, as Wiki says: "the process of change in the inherited traits of a population of organisms from one generation to the next".

The "reverse" part of this is simply describing this change in terms of its similarity to more remote ancestors of these fish. It's a useful description even though it doesn't mean that any process has reversed in direction.

135. Edgar Mitchell ushers in the Next Epoch in Evolution

Comment #182931 by Szymanowski on May 21, 2008 at 6:11 am

On the surface it seems this book is about nothing in particular, with a bunch of buzzwords thrown in.

And to the scientist all I can say is that the gods do exist; they are the eternal, connected, and aware Self experienced by all intelligent beings

I'm clearly not an "intelligent being", then...

136. MPs reject calls to cut abortion limit

Comment #182764 by Szymanowski on May 21, 2008 at 12:32 am

Christine McCafferty, the Labour MP for Calder Valley, who has tabled a separate Commons motion stating that the current abortion time limit is "scientifically and ethically justified", said: "Abortion should be a private decision between the patient and her doctor, just like any other medical treatment..."

Brilliant - send that lady a beer on me.

I'm glad that the government has seen sense. But then again, clearly there are some nincompoops there.

Claire Curtis-Thomas, for example, whose argument is that abortion doesn't take enough time (!), and is too easy. How might one make abortion more difficult, then, Claire? Using wire coat-hangers, perhaps? Who would that benefit?

137. Teenager faces prosecution for calling Scientology 'cult'

Comment #182588 by Szymanowski on May 20, 2008 at 3:12 pm

OK, for one thing I had no idea such an oppressive Act was in force, here. For another, surely the police don't have a leg to stand on re. accepting hospitality from the Church of $?

(1) A person is guilty of an offence if he:

(a) uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or
(b) displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting,

within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby.

This offence has the following statutory defences:

(1) The defendant had no reason to believe that there was any person within hearing or sight who was likely to be alarmed of distressed by his action.
(2) The defendant was in a dwelling and had no reason to believe that his behaviour would be seen or heard by any person outside any dwelling.
(3) The conduct was reasonable.

Presumably defence no. 3 would work.

138. God and Science Collide in Nation's Capital

Comment #181719 by Szymanowski on May 18, 2008 at 3:48 am

What a fantastic misrepresentation of the "standard line".

Yes - what do you expect from the Templeton Foundation?

139. These dim-wits believe in anything but God

Comment #181477 by Szymanowski on May 17, 2008 at 9:23 am

I agree with M. Bergson, though I think the article may have somewhat misrepresented the NSS's aims.

140. Pop Goes Christianity

Comment #181472 by Szymanowski on May 17, 2008 at 9:17 am

I'm always stunned whenever I read a new article on the US, at the extent to which faith-based madness has taken root within its culture. This is no exception.

141. Richard Dawkins Interview on TVOntario

Comment #181350 by Szymanowski on May 17, 2008 at 2:32 am

Dawkins is particularly lucid in this interview - good on him! The interviewer is a little bit slow on the uptake but at least he gives RD the time to speak.

142. Group finds Starbucks logo too hot to handle

Comment #180911 by Szymanowski on May 16, 2008 at 4:44 am

I'm surprised that no-one has asked what, exactly, is offensive about a depiction of a naked woman, one of God's creations.

143. Church of Scotland mediators to quell disputes

Comment #180902 by Szymanowski on May 16, 2008 at 3:54 am

My goodness. Elgar is apparently a second-rate composer after Vaughan-Williams, who apparently didn't write jingoistic music?

And both apparently were composers of Victorian England?

Perhaps I AM living in a parallel dimension!

144. 'Framing Science' and The Dawkins Effect

Comment #180332 by Szymanowski on May 14, 2008 at 3:41 pm

What the hell? Why is there so much spam at the beginning of the audio? (about "audible.com") Does Point of Inquiry always do that?

145. 'Framing Science' and The Dawkins Effect

Comment #180303 by Szymanowski on May 14, 2008 at 2:29 pm

designsoda:

So Dawkins as "bad cop" might be having a positive effect?

You accurately summarised a 17-page article in 11 words :D

146. 'Framing Science' and The Dawkins Effect

Comment #180282 by Szymanowski on May 14, 2008 at 1:36 pm

I think it's a good chapter. The "Dawkins Effect" bit seems a little counter-intuitive but the development of Dacey's argument is quite logical - remember to read it in context!

The Dawkins Effect: The presence of messages of science-religion conflict makes messages of science-religion harmony better known and more palatable to religious believers.

147. A natural selection

Comment #180092 by Szymanowski on May 14, 2008 at 8:00 am

WHY were there no corporate sponsors?!

Is Canada about to join the US, scraping away at the bottom of the barrel?

148. Americans pray at the pump for cheaper petrol

Comment #179421 by Szymanowski on May 13, 2008 at 8:27 am

Richard Dawkins wrote:

We need US prices to be double or even triple what they are today, in order to force motorists to buy more economical cars -- small cars, hybrid cars, electric cars etc.

Why not just legislate against buying or manufacturing the less economical vehicles? Then you would penalise only those who are inefficient, rather than penalising everyone (including ambulances, farmers, etc).

149. Americans pray at the pump for cheaper petrol

Comment #179277 by Szymanowski on May 13, 2008 at 2:48 am

The Religious "are" and i do mean "are" INSANE . Belief in religion is a mental illness and we should all laugh at them whenever and wherever we encounter them

I don't want to be a killjoy, but while this article may be funny, genuine mental illness definitely isn't.

150. 3QD interviews Richard Dawkins

Comment #178788 by Szymanowski on May 12, 2008 at 3:53 am

gnomead - no worries, I used a terrible turn of phrase!

Yes this was an excellent interview aside from the video quality (a totally excusable issue, obviously). It'd be nice to get a transcript... I might even write one myself if I get the time.

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